Hydraulics and Water Resources

Worldwide there is a call for new technologies, materials and practices to reduce human-induced carbon footprints that cause global climate change and to adapt to projected climate change. One of the systems likely affected by global climate change and population growth is water resources. The Water Resources Program investigates all aspects of the complex interactions between climate variability and change, ecosystem processes, and increased demand from human activities. In the semi-arid regions of the northwestern U.S., water availability during drought periods has already reached crisis levels and the problems are expected to intensify as the effects of global climate change and population growth continue to alter the supply and demand patterns.

Research areas include:

Low Impact Development

Aquatic System Management and Restoration

Climate Change Analysis, Implications, and Adaptation

Aquifer Storage and Recovery

Water Reuse

Remote Sensing

Stormwater Quantity and Quality

Surface/Groundwater Interaction

Sustainable materials and construction

Engineering Education

Facilities

Hydraulics Engineering has a large work area for the construction of physical scale models along with a wide range of fluid pumping systems. Laster Doppler velocimeter systems are available for accurate velocity measurements. Computational hydraulics and fluid dynamics studies use a well-equipped workstation laboratory.